Extension-platform.



Patented Oct. 24, I899. G. E. SEYMOUR & F. KAHLER.

EXTENSION PLATFORM.

(Applicapion filed Aug. 5, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

6 .\u v V//////////////// oooooooe vooaooooo WITNESSES P No. 635,40l.Patented Oct. 24,1899. G. E. SEYMOUR &. F. KAHLER. EXTENSION PLATFORM.

(Applicatinn filed Aug. 6, 1899.) f

WITNESSES- q [195N388 I @C /fizig l M UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIcE.

' ea in GEORGE E. SEYMOUR AND FERDINAND KAHLER, OF SILVER GROVE,INDIANA.

EXTENSION-PLATFORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,401, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed August 5, 1899- Serial No. 726,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. SEYMOUR and FERDINAND KAHLER, of SilverGrove, in the county of Floyd and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Platforms; and we dohereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in extension-platforms forrailway-cars, the object of the invention being to so construct a deviceof the above-mentioned character that it can be readily raised orlowered and firmly held in either position.

A further object is to provide an extensionplatform which will beextremely simple in construction, neat in appearance, cheap tomanufacture, easy to operate, and most effectual when in use.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill bemore fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan view illustrating ourimprovements. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6,and 7 are views of details.

A represents one end of a car, 1 a platform therefor, and 2 steps on oneside of said platform. An extension-platf0rm or trap-door B is hinged tothe end of the car, as will now be described.

A tube 3, having parallel 'strips at thereon to receive the edge of thedoor, is secured to the door by means of bolts or screws passing throughthe strips 4 and into the door. The ends of the tube 3 are contracted toform journals, one of which is disposed in a socket 5 in a bracket 6,secured to the car-platform 1 by means of screws or nails 7. The journalat the other end of the tube 3 is disposed in a socket 8 in a bracket 9,secured to the end of the car. A ribbon or torsional spring 10 isdisposed in the tube 3 and secured against rotation by a pin or pins 11passing through the sleeve, and the other end of the spring projectsthrough the socket 8 in the bracket 9 and is disposed in an elongatedslot 12 in a ratchet-Wheel 13, which latter is disposed in a casing 14in the bracket 9. One side of the casing 14: is cut out or recessed toform a guideway 15 for the accommodation of a pin or roller 16. The pin16 is adapted to be engaged by one of the teeth on the ratchetwheel 13to hold the spring at any tension, but will permit the ratchet-wheel tobe turned to increase the tension of the spring. An angular enlargement17 is provided on the ratchet-wheel 13 to receive a suitable tool forturning it, and a ring 18 is secured to the bracket 9 and incloses theratchet-wheel to prevent displacement of the latter.

Any approved catch 18 may be employed for locking the door in positionover the steps.

Various slight changes might be resorted to in the general form andarrangement of the several parts described Without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention, and hence we would have it understoodthat We do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise details set forth,but consider ourselves at liberty to make such slightchanges andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described ourinvention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a car, of a platform extension a tube secured toone end of said platform extension, journals at the ends of the tube, aspring secured in the tube and projecting therefrom and means forregulating the tension of said spring.

2. The combination with a car, of a platform extension a tube secured toone edge of the platform extension and having journals at its ends, aspring secured at one end in the tube and projecting at its other endbeyond the tube, a ratchet-wl1eel secured to the end of the spring andmeans for preventing the turning of said ratchet-wheel in one direction.

3. The combination with a car-platform, of an extension for saidplatform, a tube having flanges secured to one edge of the extension,journals at the ends of said tube, bearings for said journals, atorsional spring disposed in said tube and secured at one end in one endof the tube and projecting beyond the other end of the tube, aratchet-Wheel secured to the projecting end of the spring and having anangular extension and a pin to engage the teeth of said ratchet-Wheel.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. SEYMOUR. FERDINAND KAI-ILER. it-messes EDWARD TAGGART, HENRYA. BURTT.

